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Frank Walker, a resident of Breinerd in Chattanooga County, requires a cane in order to walk as a result of a hit and run that damaged the discs in his lower back. He must now visit a doctor in Hixson in order to have his back checked out and receive his pain medications. However, in order to get there, he has to have his sister to call the bus service so that he can get to and from the doctor.

When he saw a sign saying that Lifeline was giving out free telephones in Chattanooga, he took his Medicaid card, went into the office and signed up. He is hoping to get his free mobile phone with free minutes and texts very soon so that he no longer has to depend on his sister in order to get to his doctor’s appointments. Walker wants to have his independence and his dignity back.

The Lifeline Program provides free mobile phone services to people like Frank Walker, American citizens who are down and out and require special services. The mobile phone allows them to have the access to safety, security and healthcare services and gives them the peace of mind of a life that is independent and full of dignity.

Many opponents to the Lifeline Program feel that this is a waste of taxpayers’ money. There has been much speculation as to the amount of fraud that is occurring and the millions of U.S. dollars being lost due to waste and fraudulent activity.

However, without the Lifeline Program, the millions of Americans that are in the same position as Frank Walker would be left in the dust.

The Federal Communications Commission is now making major changes to the program in order to reduce the amount of fraud and waste due to fraudulent activities. They have created a central database so that all participants in the Lifeline Program are tracked with information such as social security numbers, financial status and addresses to avoid any duplicate accounts, something that was a huge problem just a couple of years ago. The FCC is also making companies accountable to sticking to the stringent guidelines for eligibility of the Lifeline Program. Companies that fail to comply with the rules and regulations can be fined up to $1.5 million U.S. dollars for violations.

There are many political representatives who are opposed to these “Obama Phones’’ as they have been incorrectly coined. These Lifeline Phones were actually created during the Reagan Administration. The term Obama Phone, however, seems to be serving the opponents to the Obama administration very well in terms of them using this waste of money as a platform.

The FCC is working very hard to make sure that all applicants are thoroughly back checked. Every participant must reapply annually in order to make sure that they are still in a financial situation that allows them to remain eligible for the Lifeline Program. The central database will ensure that this process occurs more smoothly.

Support the Lifeline Program. There are currently millions of American households who are dependent upon the free mobile phone in order to contact family and friends, stay connected to healthcare workers and social services and to have access to 9-1-1 emergency services. To cut back on this program would be to leave millions of needy Americans in the dark.

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The California Public Utility’s Commission has been dragging its heels with amending the Lifeline Assistance program in California so that it also includes free mobile phones.

Currently, the Lifeline Assistance program in California only allows free landline services for the needy elderly citizens. This means that the elderly population that is already falling behind technologically, financially and socially, is going to fall even further behind. While the rest of the world speeds ahead with the use of their mobile phones, the elderly of California are stuck with landline telephone service.

The Lifeline Assistance program provides free mobile phones with free talk minutes and texts per month for the eligible in America. That usually means the populations that are living at or below 135% of the poverty line or are a participant in other federal or state-run social assistance programs such as Food Stamps or Free School Lunches.

Right now, the Lifeline Assistance program only supports landlines for California. They cannot get services for mobile phones or Voice Over Internet Programs (VOIP) for excellent services such as Skype.

It has been seven years of slow moving with the CPUC and residents are getting increasingly frustrated. The CPUC promised movement by the year 2013, but with red tape and bureaucracy abound in the process, it looks as though the deliberations won’t even end until sometime close to the end of 2014. This means that it could be several more years before they finally approve having free mobile phones in the Lifeline Program, a feature that most states in America have been enjoying for the past few years.

Twenty-seven civil rights groups and Lifeline Assistance’s original author agree that it is about time that the CPUC get their act together and do something to provide a well-needed service to the elderly in California.

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TerraCom Wireless, an Oklahoma based mobile carrier, has been in the line of fire in light of recent Lifeline scandal.

Dale Schmick, CEO of TerraCom Wireless, has released a statement announcing that the company is downsizing the sales team for the Lifeline Program and its field agents in order to reduce the violations of the Lifeline Program rules.

The Lifeline Program offers free government mobile phones to eligible American citizens. Eligibility varies from state to state. However, if one can prove that they are living at or below 135% of the poverty line or are a participant of any of the other state or federal-run assistance programs, such as Food Stamps, they can be eligible for a free mobile phone with free talk minutes and texts per month. TerraCom Wireless is a private mobile company based in Oklahoma that has recently been caught on hidden camera handing out free mobile phones to paid actors who have stated that they are going to be selling these free mobile phones for drugs.

Lifeline has been drawing criticism from the public stating that there has been far too much waste of public funds. Many applicants have been receiving more than one phone even though the rules stipulate that only one phone per household is allowed. Lifeline has been victim to fraudulent acts, not only with the applicants, but the distributors as well, as can be seen in the case of TerraCom Wireless.

The Federal Communications Commission, the entity that put together the Lifeline Program in the 1980s under the Reagan Administration, has warned that any company that is participating in the Lifeline Program will be held responsible for any fraudulent acts on their part. Participating mobile carriers must be much more stringent with their approvals of applications and must ensure that the field agents “scrupulously adhere to the Lifeline rules.” The FCC has warned that phone companies can and will be fined up to $1.5 million U.S. dollars for any violations of set rules.

TerraCom Wireless is undergoing several investigations for violations of these rules, including a security breach that occurred following the Scripps’ investigation, which uncovered a large number of Lifeline applicants’ private and intimate information being accessible via Google.

TerraCom Wireless’ decision to end its field agent program is a huge step in what we hope is the right direction. Their field agents were originally seeking out low-income residents of Oklahoma and signing these people up for the Lifeline Program. With the sales agents out of the way, hopefully there will be a decline in the amount of fraud that is happening in the Lifeline Program and a decline in the amount of waste.

Time Warner Cable Inc., of New York State, is now joining the Lifeline Assistance program and now provides free government cell phones and reduced price wireless service packages to residents of New York. Time Warner is using New York as a pilot-testing population for the Lifeline Assistance program, and plans to roll out this program to other participating states in the near future.

The Lifeline Assistance program offers free mobile phones with free monthly talk time and free texts to eligible applicants. Eligibility does vary from state to state, but generally if you are living at or below 135% of the poverty level, or are a participant in select state- or federal- assistance programs such as Food Stamps, then you are eligible for the Lifeline Program.

Please check with your local phone companies to see about eligibility and how to sign up.

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The Federal Communications Commission recently announced a proposal to fine five Lifeline cell phone carriers a total of 14.4 million dollar for violating rules of its Lifeline Assistance program.  The Lifeline Assistance program is used by millions of Americans living in poverty and/or who participate in eligible government assistance programs to receive subsidized, and in many cases free, wireless service.

Under the FCC’s continued efforts to reform the Lifeline Assistance program and institute program changes designed to limit and eliminate Lifeline Assistance fraud, the FCC has fined Assist Wireless, Easy Wireless, Icon Telecom, Tracfone Wireless (Safelink Wireless), and UTPhone for allegedly giving multiple subsidized cell phones and plans to the same individuals who already participated in the Lifeline Assistance program.

These practices fly directly in the face of one of the eligibility criteria for applying for the Lifeline Assistance cell phone program, namely, each household or individual is only allowed one phone.  Last year, the FCC sent out hundreds of thousands of letters informing customers who had allegedly defrauded the Lifeline program by applying for multiple cell phone accounts that their additional accounts would be deactivated.

The FCC has warned Lifeline Assistance telecom operators that new rules will force Lifeline Assistance wireless carriers to return any money received from duplicate accounts from the same applicant.  This new rule should further encourage telecom operators to ensure that Lifeline Assistance applicants are verified through the appropriate process.

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For the past 30 years, eligible residents of Coachella Valley have been receiving free landlines under the government’s Lifeline Assistance program. However, while most of the rest of the country is enjoying the benefits of the free mobile phones that have been added to the program, Coachella Valley is still in the dark ages.

Lifeline’s telecommunications support allows the elderly community of Coachella Valley to stay connected to health care services, friends, and family. This provides independence and dignity to an often forgotten population of the general American public. However, it seems that landlines are being left behind and mobile phones are a better option for most American citizens.

According to research that has been pulled together by Pew Internet and American Life Project, 70% of the American public aged 65 and over uses mobile phones. That is the vast majority of the elderly population that is now using mobile phones. Why hasn’t the Lifeline Program changed with the times in this part of the USA?

The California Legislature is now considering AB1407, a new bill that proposes to expand the Lifeline Program for Coachella Valley residents to include mobile phones. This means that the elderly population that is anchored to the use of their landlines to stay connected can now join the rest of the world and enjoy the benefits and security of a mobile phone.

The elderly population should not need to choose between eating a meal, paying for their medication, or having a landline. In fact, the elderly population should be able to choose between whether they want to have a landline or a mobile phone, or to choose package bundles that allow them the flexibility for their lifestyle and their needs.

Support AB1407 and allow the needy residents of California to enjoy the free mobile phone that most of the other American states are taking advantage of. Do not let the elderly population fall to the wayside, forgotten. Please support the Lifeline Program.

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US Representative Tim Griffin of Arkansas wants to put an end to free government cell phones, which are provided under the Lifeline Assistance and LinkUp programs, to 17 over million American citizens, because he feels that the costs associated with the program have ballooned out of control.

One case that particularly has Mr. Griffin in a bit of a twist is the fact that some of his dead constituents have received free mobile phones. This lends credibility to the argument that the Lifeline Program is a waste of people’s tax money, which is the main platform that Griffin has been using in his fight to bring down Lifeline.

The Lifeline Program was started in the 1980s during the Reagan Administration in order to address the inequality between those who had access to affordable telecommunications and those who did not. This was originally used to provide landlines with reduced installation fees for those living in rural communities who could not afford and did not have access to modern methods of communication.

When Hurricane Katrina hit during the Bush Administration, the Lifeline Assistance Program was amended in order to add free mobile phones. This was in light of the fact that many of those left homeless in the wake of Hurricane Katrina no longer had access to electricity, landlines, or even medical services, sitting stranded on rooftops or in the Super Dome refugee camp. The amendments provided those victims a means of communicating and locating their loved ones, or being able to call for help from their rooftops.

Currently, the Lifeline Program provides free mobile phones to millions of American households. Unfortunately, the lack of stringent monitoring has led to incidents, such as the deceased receiving free mobile phones, that have added to the estimated millions of dollars of money wasted in fraud through this program.

“Is it really the role of the federal government to be providing people with free cell phones in the first place?” Griffin asked. “Where does it end? Free iPads for everyone? Free home computers? Free Internet? Free cars?”

Griffin’s opposition to the Lifeline Program is very well documented and publicized. Griffin feels that people who really are that strapped for cash can afford to pay a reduced fee per month for their phone bills, which would, in his opinion, deter the extremely high rates of fraud that are occurring within the Lifeline Program.

“I don’t have any data on what people use them for, but anecdotally, I don’t think the predominant use is for emergencies…,” Griffin has stated.

Griffin also sees the Lifeline Program as a way for private mobile carriers to simply cash in on people’s misery. He feels that the private mobile carriers use the free mobile phone to lock that target audience into lower-rate monthly payments down the line, thereby allowing them to reach a clientele that they originally never had been able to.

Perhaps Griffin has some points on this. However, this does not negate the fact that the Lifeline Program actually helps millions of American households maintain their dignity and independence during these tough economic times. There are millions of elderly and disabled, and those reliant on hospital care and home visits, who rely on these free mobile phones as their only means of communication with health care workers and their families and friends.

Truth be told, if the Lifeline Program was to be canned, millions of American families would suffer. Millions of American families who truly rely on this philanthropic program would be left without a means of communication, without a means of contacting emergency services, and without the ability to find their second chance at a better life.

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The Federal Communications Commission has stated that many mobile companies seem to be providing free Lifeline mobile phones to applicants without doing a thorough background check.

This means that many approved applicants are not actually eligible for the Lifeline Program, a social assistance initiative that provides free mobile phones to eligible Americans. Eligibility comes in the form of either living at 135% of the poverty level, or being a recipient of various other state- or federal-run social assistance programs such as Food Stamps.

The FCC has expressed concerns that much of the fraud and waste that has been occurring with the Lifeline Program is due to oversights such as this.

“[Companies] must verify the eligibility of a low-income consumer prior to providing Lifeline service to that consumer, and may not provide an activated device intended to enable access to Lifeline service to a consumer until that consumer’s eligibility is fully verified and all other necessary enrollment steps are completed,” the FCC wrote in a notice.

This public statement came a short two weeks after a video was released showing employees of a Lifeline distributor providing free mobile phones to hired actors who were saying that they would use the free mobile phones to obtain cash for drugs and shoes. This was a stunt pulled by Project Veritas in order to bring to light much of the fraudulent activity and waste that was happening at the hands of the Lifeline Program. This is just another way that the conservatives are trying to bring a halt to the Lifeline Program.

The Federal Communications Commission wants to bring more accountability to the companies that are partnering with the Lifeline Program as well as to the program itself by ensuring that oversight like this ceases.

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Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin is now joining Tim Griffin of Arkansas in his attempt to completely stop the Lifeline Program.

The Lifeline Program provides free mobile phones to those American citizens living at or below 135% of the poverty line, or to those who are recipients of other state or federal-run assistance programs.

In theory, the Lifeline Program should be helping to bring about connectivity and security to those who are needy, disabled, or otherwise unable to afford these types of services.

However, there have been huge amounts of fraud and of private mobile phone carriers taking advantage of this program. Literally billions of US dollars have been wasted in fraud and fraudulent activity.

Mullins is now joining a group of 60 others in Congress to back the bill created by Tim Griffin of Arkansas to stop the Lifeline Program and save taxpayers billions of dollars.

What is frustrating for these politicians is that nothing is being done about waste in the Lifeline Program, and more and more money is being funneled into this system.

What they are misinformed about is the fact that it is not tax money that is funding the program, but an extra ‘’fee’’ added onto each phone bill of paying clients’ accounts every month that goes to the Universal Service Fund, which then funds the Lifeline Program.

It is true that there is a lot of the Lifeline Program that needs to be improved. But it is not right to shut down the program entirely. It should undergo an overhaul and reforms to set things right.

In truth, the Lifeline Program provides a second chance and access to safety and security for the elderly, for those living at the poverty level, those seeking new employment after the crash of 2008, and those who just want a better chance at a new life.

Griffin is currently asking citizens to sign a petition to support a bill to gut the Lifeline Program.

Schmick under Fire for Lifeline Profits

Dale Schmick, CEO of YourTel and TerraCom was questioned about millions of dollars in profits that his two wireless providers received over the past couple of years when partnering with the Lifeline Program.

He went onto say that the Lifeline Program has “done a lot for people. It really has. I think you have to sort of be mindful that this is a government program that really facilitates them improving their economic life. This is a program that facilitates them getting a job, and so it’s kind of more of an investment in fixing the low-income status versus perpetuating the low income status.”

When pressed about profit margins, Schmick stated that the profit margin for the Lifeline Program was definitely “far” below that of the normal profit margins for paying clients. However, he does agree that the Lifeline Program has gone a bit out of control, with losses in the hundreds of millions due to fraudulent activity.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you feel that private phone carriers should be making such huge profits on a program that is supposed to be providing a social assistance service to the needy?

There have been many challenges and a lot of controversy surrounding the Lifeline Assistance program, the government philanthropic movement that provides free mobile phones and service to low income eligible Americans. The Lifeline Assistance program provides free mobile phones plus free talk time and texts each month to eligible applicants. Each state has their own participating local telephone companies and private mobile carrier companies providing various monthly bundles and packages.

The Lifeline Assistance program has faced a number of obstacles.  One of the most notable obstacles is the fraud and abuse that has occurred within this program. There have been opportunists, both participants in program and lax oversight by telecom operators, which have defrauded the program. As a result, this fraud has created hundreds of millions of dollars in waste.

Part of the problem with the Lifeline Assistance program has been due to the lack of stringent moderation and rules. When the program was first brought about in the 1980s, its original purpose was to provide affordable landlines to families living in rural communities. Because those rural areas of the USA did not have the infrastructure for telephone lines, there were often only a couple of companies that had a monopoly on providing telephone services in those regions. As a result, the monthly payment plans for those living in rural regions as opposed to those living in urban locations were extremely high.

The Telecommunications Act of 1986 states that all Americans have a right to affordable communications services. In order to address the telecommunication access between those living in urban areas who could afford telecommunication services and those in rural communities who are able to pay for service, the Federal Communications Commission created the Lifeline Assistance program.

Later on (in 2005) in response to Hurricane Katrina, the Bush Administration allowed the addition of free mobile phones to the program. This was in order to provide those who were homeless or stranded without running water, electricity, or phone service the opportunity to contact friends and loved ones, or to obtain emergency medical services in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Between the initiation of the free mobile phone program and now, there have been hundreds of millions of US dollars lost in fraudulent activity. In order to become eligible for a free mobile phone, one has to prove that they are either a recipient of another federal or state-run assistance program, or that they are living at or below 135% of the poverty line. Originally, a simple statement saying that an applicant fell into one of those two categories was sufficient. However, as time passed, it became increasingly obvious that many people were lying about their financial status in order to take advantage of receiving a free mobile phone with free minutes and texts.

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In 2013, the Federal Communications Commission decided to change certain rules about the Lifeline Assistance program, and the program underwent some serious amendments. Now, people must show official documentation outlining their eligibility, either with tax returns, pay stubs, or letters showing their participation in other government assistance programs.

There is now a central database that keeps track of all Lifeline participants, with address information, financial information, and social security numbers. This way, there can be no repeat or duplicate accounts from participants using fake social security numbers or false addresses.

Participants are only allowed one mobile phone per household. Any exceptions to this rule only apply to those who are independently cohabiting at the same address, but who make up separate family units.

Renewal of the Lifeline Assistance program happens annually. If there are any changes in financial status, they will be documented and recorded in the central database, so that those who no longer are eligible for the free mobile phone will automatically have their Lifeline accounts discontinued.

Another issue with the Lifeline Assistance program is the Universal Service Fund ‘’tax’’ that is charged on paying clients’ phone bills every month. What has consumers confused is what this charge is for and the public wonders if it is their tax money that is going to fund the free mobile phones.

The truth is that the Universal Service Fund charges a few dollars on paying clients’ monthly phone bills in order to raise money for the Lifeline Assistance program. Right-wing conservatives are upset about this, and feel that there is too much waste due to fraud to justify charging paying phone customers to fund the Lifeline Assistance program.

Private mobile companies are also taking advantage of the Lifeline Assistance program from the inside. Some private carriers that are not even participating in the program are offering free mobile phones to those who are living below the poverty line and then hooking them to a cheaper phone plan at the end of their trial run. This means that private carriers are now targeting markets that they would not otherwise have been selling to, and are now making millions off of the needy.

Lifeline also has a problem with marketing and public relations. Many of the providers of the Lifeline Assistance program are mass marketing through SMS’s and mail outs, providing many different options to the target audience. This is making information very confusing for many, creating more questions. There are even clever marketing tools out there being used by non-Lifeline participants or providers, simply using the keywords “Lifeline” or “Government Phones’’ in their websites and other marketing messages, creating more confusion.

In line with the marketing aspect is the ‘Obama phone’ fiasco. When this new label for the Lifeline free mobile phones went viral, there was a lot of misconception and misinformation out there about how this phone came about and whether it was the Obama Administration that put this into place.

The truth of the matter is that President Obama had very little to do with the Lifeline Phone, as it was created during the Reagan Administration. However, opponents of the Obama Administration blame the current President for the amount of fraud and wasted money that the Lifeline Assistance program has created.

What needs to be addressed is how effectively the Lifeline Assistance program is being marketed. What needs to happen is that true and accurate information has to be put out there, and those who have fraudulently obtained perks or money have to be brought to justice, or at least become known to the public.

The Lifeline Assistance program services mainly the elderly, the disabled, the poor, and the disenfranchised. It provides safety and security for those who otherwise would not be able to afford it. It provides dignity to those who do not have the physical ability to provide for themselves or their families. It gives a second chance to those who are looking for a second chance.

Do not let the Lifeline Assistance program’s philanthropic intentions get drowned out by the media and political opponents. However, the Lifeline Assistance program does need to start increasing its standards in terms of accountability, and it also needs to continue to increase its profile as a reliable and dependable social service for Americans.